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------ Give Your Spirit Wings ------
Learning to fly, like learning to drive, happens in three stages: you must pass an aeronautical knowledge test (the book test), followed by actually taking flight lessons and then pass the flight test. Training with aninstructor may begin at any age, but the student learning to fly an airplane cannot fly solo (without an instructor) until age 16. |
Julie Thums with soontobe Copilot,
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
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OCT 2008: Julie Thums
Accelerated IFR Training
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Instructor: Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Duffy Gaier
Julie wrote: "Overall this was an excellent experience. Wanda had me well-prepared and Duffy gave a fair exam that was a great learning experience for me as well."
APR 2008: Hi Wanda! Thanks again for everything, I thought the (Weekend Ground School) class was fantastic. I still can't believe it.... I got 100% on the test! Now I'm ready and anxious for more flight training. See you soon! Thanks again, Julie Ebert, WI
CoPilot Fischer James Thums was born January 11th, a month early. I think I logged about 40 hours during my IFR training while pregnant with him. He is now 10 weeks old and has already logged another 6 hours! His first flight was to Illinois at 6 weeks old with Grandpa Larry as PIC. It was great - he slept the whole way. Two weeks later my husband and I packed him up again and flew to IL for another visit. We're having a blast and happy to be flying again.
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Dennis Malone, Private Pilot SEL, Airplane |
SEP 2008: Dennis Malone
Accelerated Course: 41.3 hours in 13 days
Private Pilot - Airman Single Engine Land
Instructor: John Thompson, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Shane Lehman
Dennis Malone passed his FAA Private Pilot practical test with Shane Lehman, Designated Pilot Examiner at the Waupaca Municipal Airport.
Dennis wrote: "I was his first accelerated (student) that Shawn has ever done. He was unsure as to what to expect. He was able to see that you did a great job of preparing me and I flew the airplane just like you taught me.
Let's think. Thirteen days, 41.3 hours in the cockpit and I went for my checkride. I was prepared and confident. I still would be figuring out how to get this done if it were not for taking the accelerated course. No wasted time. Just flying every day. It was great. The biggest disappointment now is I don't get in the air every day. Thanks for everything!" |
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Douglas Rouse
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated |
SEP 2008: Douglas Rouse
Accelerated IFR Training
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Instructor: Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Jim Cotter, DPE
Doug passed his instrument checkride with Jim Cotter, Designated Pilot Examiner, after accelerated instrument completion training with Wanda Zuege, MCFI. Douglas Rouse, WI
SEP, 2008: Wanda, I took the written for the Instrument Rating last night and finished up about 11:00pm. I passed with Flying Colors.
I actually did much better than I expected or did on on the practice test I completed prior to leaving Stevens Point. Please pass on to John that I appreciate him working with me after I completed the practice test to better understand my mistakes and the material. Thank you for your training and direction preparing me for the written exam, you did a great job. I look forwd to completing my training with you this coming weekend. Douglas Rouse, WI |
Andy Gille
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated |
SEP 2008: Andy Gille
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Instructor: Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Sherwood Williams
Andy wrote: "I had finished up my IFR requirements at Stevens Point with Wanda Zuege who I had met probably two weeks before the exam. ... Both John (Chmiel) and Wanda were great flight instructors to work with and I was fortunate to be able to work with both of them." Andy Gille, WI
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William Graper
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated |
SEP 2008: William Graper
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Instructor: Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Sherwood Williams
Mr. & Mrs. Graper promptly celebrated the completion of his instrument rating with champagne!
WEEKEND GROUND SCHOOL. MAR 2008: William Graper passed his Instrument Knowledge test after attending Am I High Aviation, LLC's weekend ground school. William Graper, WI
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THE SKY IS THE LIMIT FOR THIS NEW PILOT!
Thanks again for the experience of a lifetime & I very much .ook forward to instrument and beyond.
John Wrycza, Illinois
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John Wrycza
Private Pilot SEL, Airplane
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May 19, 2008: John Wrycza "Rusty",
Accelerated Private Pilot Program
Instructor: Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Sherwood Williams
Rusty got serious about flight training with Am I High Aviation, LLC's accelerated private pilot program. In 14 flight days of training, Wrycza breezed through the checkride experience with Sherwin "Woody" Williams. Flight Training provided by Wanda Zuege, ATP MCFI.
Message from rusty:
June, 2008: John Wrycza, Pilot-In-Command with first passenger shortly after he earned his Pilot certificate; notice the smiles.
Message from rusty:
June, 2008: WHY I FLY? Big Ring Classic's (bike race) held at 9 Mile Forest without the drive from Illinois 193nm (a 2hr flight vs 4hrs 37mins by car) - an experience worth repeating.
Message from rusty:
My 1st - of hopefully soon-to-be many GEAR UP landings ... flying a Lake Amphibian airplane and preparing to land on the Buffalo Lake ... nice runway! .... and of course, I did helmetcam the experience!
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Joe Pehosky
Private Pilot SEL, Airplane
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MAY 16, 2008: Joe Pehosky
Private Pilot , Airplane, SEL
Instructor: John Thompson, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Sherwood Williams
Joe Pehosky passed his FAA Private Pilot practical test with Sherwin "Woody" Williams. " I'm currently finishing up an atmospheric science major at UW-Milwaukee. Flying has been something I've considered learning for a real long time, until I actually started training last summer. It's been a great experience and I can't wait to take some of my friends up. I'm planning on training for the instrument rating right away this summer, and possibly getting checked out in a Cessna down in Milwaukee. Flying has been the greatest thing I've ever done, and I'm planning to keep accumulating more ratings and hours, and see where it takes me." |
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June 30, 2009: Hey Wanda and John. I've been trying to get around to letting you know what I've been up to. I graduated in May from UW Milwaukee after about 5 years in school. I got a position on a cloud seeding project for rain enhancement and hail suppression in North Dakota. With the title Intern Radar Meteorologist, I ended up taking about a 60% pay cut from my warehouse job, but if I were to come back next year as a Radar Meteorologist, I would actually make a living wage. For now, the job is pretty cool.
This is a pretty contentious thing we're doing here; it's is one of only a handful of operational cloud seeding projects in the U.S, and lots of people don't like us messing with the weather. This project
has been ongoing every summer since the 1950s, and studies have shown our district has significantly less hail damage. In fact, hail insurance rates here are much lower due to our success. We have two planes based here, a Cessna 340 used for seeding at the tops of clouds and occasionally at base, and a Seneca for seeding at the base. Planes get Silver Iodide into the clouds by burning a silver iodide/acetone solution, or using a "flare" (basically a roman candle filled with silver iodide) for a more concentrated delivery. One of our aircraft is equipped for high altitude operations, and at high altitudes he uses what are basically large shotgun shells mounted on the bottom of the plane to deliver AgI into the top of developing towers (due to the lack of oxygen, the other methods aren't reliable). ....
... I figure this is one of the most hands on jobs you can get in the meteorology field, on par with storm chasing. But I'm still stuck on the ground while the pilots get to have a lot of fun. The radar met here appreciates being in an air conditioned office while the pilots get turbulence, but I'm sort of thinking they have the good job. I'm going to try to get out of this career as fast as I can, probably getting my commercial license somehow and coming back on project as a pilot. Right now I'm just looking for something to do this winter, because I'm definitely not going back to school. |
John Wrycza - First Solo |
May 5 & 6, 2008: John Wrycza
Student pilot turned Pilot-In-Command:
John Wrycza flew solo (without an instructor) on May 5 performing three takeoffs and three landings on Runway 30 underneath a brilliant sky painted in sunset colors .... winds CALM! The following morning, Wrycza planned his first long cross country trip (solo) starting westbound to Eau Claire (with three touch & go's) then eastbound to Central Wisconsin Airport (with three touch & go's) and completed the flight (to a full stop landing) at the Stevens Point Municipal Aiport. What's next? Seven more hours of pilot-in-command time (solo flight) prior to taking his Practical Test (the flight test) |
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Wrycza has added a new dimension to flight training - the GPS track overlay ... on sectional maps (see below) ... on google earth ... and in 3D. Soon, I will be introduced to "the helmet camera". (Wanda Zuege - tech student)
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Jay Frittitta
Private Pilot SEL, Airplane |
APR 2008: Matthew "Jay" Frittitta
Private Pilot - Airman Single Engine Land:
Instructor: John Thompson, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Sherwood Williams
Jay wrote: "Hey Wanda, the website looks great! J
Some info about myself… I’ll be a junior next semester at UW Stevens Point majoring in Computer Information Systems, and I’ll be in Japan teaching English this summer for two months. I’m going to have some fun taking friends and family for rides and occasionally fly home to Waukesha to see my parents. I hope to someday add an instrument rating to my license and a lot more hours! I began flight training with John five months ago in November. I initially wanted to begin flying for the experience and for a fun hobby; I never knew how fun it would be!" |
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Dennis Michels
Private Pillot SEL, Airplane |
April 2008: Dennis Michels
Private Pilot SEL, Airplane
Instructor - Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Jim Cotter
Dennis Michels passed his Private Pilot Practical Test (flight test) with Jim Cotter, Designated Pilot Examiner.
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Dave Becker
Private Pilot SEL, Airplane |
April 2008: Dave Becker
Private Pilot SEL, Airplane
Instructor - John Thompson, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Jim Cotter
Dave Becker passed his FAA Private Pilot practical test with Jim Cotter, Designated Pilot Examiner, Sunday Morning.
Becker wrote: "Hello John & Wanda, I still cannot believe that I can call myself a Private Pilot. It has been all of just one day since passing my private pilot check ride and I am still flying high in the sky and I am not in the airplane. (Don't worry, I am flying VFR in my memories. This fall will be IFR.) |
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As you know, I tried getting my private pilots license back in 1993 and I have to admit that I did not care for my instructor at the time and quit very early in the process. I guess it was an easy excuse. From that time, I have always regretted not getting my pilots license.
This past fall I re-dedicated myself to learn how to fly and fortunately came across Am I High Aviation. John & Wanda, you were exactly what I was looking for. A group of instructors that were extremely organized and were solely dedicated to the training and instruction of students & pilots and were willing to instruct on an accelerated timeframe. I started on the Simulator with Wanda which is one of the greatest tools to learn all aspects of flying before getting into the plane. I then started flying with John and in less than 3 total weeks of flying time I passed my check ride. I am a PILOT!
John, of all the things that I will remember, I will never forget you saying that the plane wants to fly, just fly it Stevens Point Airport is very lucky to have two Master Instructors in one location.Thank you again for all of your help and I cannot wait to get back from Canada this fall to start my next phase of training."
David Becker, WI. |
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Aaron Ruotsala
Private Pillot SEL, Instrument Rated
Steve Lemke
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Joe Dolph
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated |
MAR 2008: Aaron Ruotsala
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Instructor - Wanda Zuege, MCFI
Designated Pilot Examiner: Jim Cotter
Aaron Ruotsala passed his instrument checkride with Jim Cotter, Designated Pilot Examiner, after an extensive 3-day Accelerated Instrument Completion Course with Wanda Zuege,MCFI. Aaron Ruotsala, MI
JAN 2008: Steve Lemke
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Airman Single Engine Land
Instructor: Wanda Zuege, MCFI Jim Cotter
Designated Pilot Examiner:
Steve passed his nstrument checkride with Jim Cotter, Designated Pilot Examiner, after attending the 7-day accelerated instrument course Wanda Zuege, MCFI Steve Lemke, IA
JAN 2008: Joe Dolph,
Private Pilot SEL, Instrument Rated
Designated Pilot Examiner: Jim Cotter
Joe passed his instrument checkride with Jim Cotter, Designated Pilot Examiner.
Joe wrote: "Dear Wanda and John: I just wanted to take a minute and thank you for all the hard work you both did for Steve and I on our Accelerated Instrument Course. I know that trying to put together a program for one student in a seven day course is alot work. |
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You took on two at once. I found that you were very well prepared and dedicated to do what ever it would take to help us achieve our instrument rating. As in real world flying we had many unforseeable issues come upon us, (i.e. weather,icing,colds, etc) and yet you were able to stay focused on our goals. The skills that you taught me will be in my cockpit for the rest of my life.
I know of no other flight school where the instructors would work 16 hours a day. Drive countless hours. Pick us up and drop us off at our hotel, be at my check ride for support and be just as excited as me when I passed. I feel that I am a better and safer pilot due to your program. I am looking forward to scheduling my commercial rating with Am I High. Thanks again." Joseph Dolph, Private Pilot..INSTRUMENT RATED. Joe Dolph, IA. |
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Wanda Zuege, ATP, Master CFI
John Thompson, Master CFI
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$40/hr-Accelerated Instruction |
$99/hr-Aircraft Rental |
$45/hr-RC-1 Simulator |
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